Ordinary Gweilo

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Yellow Saab? Must be a gweilo…

Feb 22, 2007

Sun Gai Gweilo on Gweilos’ choice of cars:

You seldom see “old bangers” on the roads in Hong Kong. Even the delivery vans are in good nick. But have a walk around the car park at a mini rugby event and you’ll find Saabs, Volkswagons, Audis, Rovers, old BMWs and other Eurotrash. Then take a walk through a public housing estate car park and you’ll see loads of newer and fancier Japanese cars and late model Euro cars.

Maybe some of the new arrivals or those who compare cars with what they can get back home see a canary yellow covertible Saab as a fancy car.

Oh and unless you live in Sai Kung and work at the airport, it’s cheaper to take a taxi everywhere.

Have to agree with the last point. Owning a car in Hong Kong is an expensive luxury – and unless your company pays for it, or you somehow have free parking, then it really is cheaper to use taxis and public transport, and often just as convenient.

It seems that many foreigners coming to Hong Kong can’t adjust their way of thinking to the way things are here, and feel that they must have their yellow Saab (or whatever), and expect to be able to pick their children up from school and park near the supermarket and all manner of other things that simply aren’t realistic.

Posted in Life in Hong Kong

5 responses to “Yellow Saab? Must be a gweilo…”

dave

Feb 24, 2007

Mind you, one reason why there are fancier cars in the public housing estates is due to face: A Chinese man has to have to car which reflects his public face, so you’ll see more expensive cars there.
Yer gweilo, on the other hand, could only afford a pre-shagged Ford Escort in Basingstoke, and thinks that a SAAB convertible is a good step up, and affordable too, now that their salary has doubled in the move to the Far East.
I had this conversation with a Chinese friend recently:
Him: I just passed my driving test, so I have to buy a car!
Me: Why? You live in Mid-levels, you only have to walk outside your front door and wave your hand in a floppy-flipper fashion and half a dozen taxis will fight for your custom.
Him: But it’s more convenient to have your own car!
Me: But you have to pay for parking here and parking there and fuel , insurance, tolls, depreciation and maintenance, not to mention the added stress of having to drive to work, and not being able to go to the pub on the way home, and getting worried about it getting scratched, and…
Him, so you don’t know how to drive?
Me: I was an advanced driving instructor for 3 years! I’ve got Car, PSV, LGV and motorcycle licences. I’ve driven in four countries on two continents. I’ve driven in Saudi Arabia during the rush to Mosque, when the police won’t stop you for hitting someone. I’ve hit 150mph on the public road in England, taken a Ford Escort sideways around Goodwood and accompanied a Royal Escort Motorcycle team at 110mph down the M4 from Reading to London. I’ve got my knee down on roundabouts in Reading town centre on a ZZR-1100 and got the Met to push my car across Westminster Bridge at 3 in the morning.
Him: So, can you drive or what?
Me: Gah! When you get your car, I’ll give you one month to get some experience and then I’ll take you to Honey Lake so you can make a fool of yourself!

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fernando

Feb 25, 2007

I pick up my daughter once a week from school and this doesn’t map out my experience. The cars waiting to pick up Kids seem to be mostly local, not expat.

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sun gai gweilo

Feb 25, 2007

http://hongkong.asiaxpat.com/classifieds/view.asp?cat=103
soon to be parked throughout the mid levels

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Hong Kong

Feb 26, 2007

I never tried driving a car in Hong Kong but I totally agree with you: a car is useless in Hong Kong… except you are a taxi driver ^_^

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Pauline Hanson

Mar 2, 2007

In fact, nearly all the yellow Sabbs of this world are driven by insecure, statement-making, sub-racist Asians in Australia and NZ!

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